Tip
Servicemembers should always seek assistance from their ESO prior to choosing a school or degree program.Choosing an institution to continue your education can be intimidating. Several factors must be taken into consideration. Do they offer the degree I want, how much of the tuition will be covered by tuition assistance, will the classes be well presented, how will the program fit into my schedule, and will my American Council on Education (ACE) [college credit for military experience], CLEP testing, and other college credits transfer into this program?
Identifying those institutions that provide the best value for military members can be a daunting task. Often the value is lost in the sales pitch. It is discouraging to get spam announcing a new GI Bill benefit, only to find it is bait to get your e-mail address and other pertinent information to generate even more spam.
Service members have several layers of assistance. First and foremost is the advice of their Education Services Officers (ESO). ESOs have experience with a wide variety of schools and know what programs work and those that do not work well with Service members.
In addition the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and the DANTES Catalog provide great information on schools. Many Service members have greatly benefited from some fine institutions that have our best interest in mind. I would like to list them, but I am sure I would miss one or two deserving schools in my effort. On the flip side, a handful of Servicemembers have been hoodwinked into low value programs that are more of a detriment to the individual than they advertised.
